These cootie catcher ideas and resources from Rock Your Homeschool are incredible ways to enjoy these simple activities.
Cootie catchers (also known as paper origami fortune tellers, chatterboxes, and other phrases) are DIY paper activities for hands-on fun.
These creative ideas for using cootie catchers are fantastic ways to boost learning, rainy day fun, and just because. These activities are also perfect for parties, holidays, seasons, and more.
You’ll find instructions on how to easily make cootie catchers plus free printable templates with a variety of themes.
Your kids will have a blast with these paper toys. And don’t be surprised when you want to use them, too!

Have you ever made and used cootie catchers? My friends and I had so much fun with these easy-to-make activities when I was growing up.
When I was young, we’d make these foldable paper toys during recess and on the bus. We’d stick to basic stuff (like what type of house we’d live in when we had a family and which boy was the cutest). I never thought of all the creative ways to enjoy cootie catchers until I had kids of my own!
Cootie catchers don’t require many materials (really just paper, scissors, and pencil or pen). Plus, these paper crafts can be customized in so many different ways. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy cootie catchers:
Cootie Catcher Ideas That You’ll Love
Since cootie catchers have been such a hit in our homeschool and family life, I knew that I needed to gather as many amazing ideas as I could.
And I find it fascinating that every time that I find new and creative ideas when I look for cootie catcher inspiration!

You can make paper origami fortune tellers for “predicting” the results of all sorts of stuff.
Or you can focus your frugal paper fun to learning activities that easily add a unique, hands-on touch.
Once you master how to create cootie catchers, you can really use these paper crafts to take any event, celebration, or topic to the next level.
Fun Cootie Catcher Ideas to Enjoy
Need a simple and frugal way to easily enjoy fun activities with kids? Try an interest-led cootie catcher!
My #1 favorite way to have some cootie catcher fun with my boys is using these these holiday and seasonal fun cootie catchers that include:
- Fall
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Winter
- Christmas
- President’s Day
- Valentine’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Spring
- Easter
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
- Fourth of July
- Summer
- This Patronus Picker is a free printable Harry Potter cootie catcher for tons of magical fun with kids.
- Looking for a creative way to enjoy fun summer activities with kids? These cootie catchers are filled with ideas.
- Have sensational Super Mario fun with this free printable cootie catcher activity featuring popular characters from this video game.
- You’ll have delightful Dr. Seuss fun with this free printable cootie catcher for fun activities with kids.
- These Star Wars cootie catchers are super cool ways to enjoy stellar fun with kids.
- A soccer cootie catcher is an amazing way to help your sports fans enjoy their favorite activity. Perfect for parties, team events, and more!
I truly hope that these cool cootie catcher ideas help you enjoy fun activities with kids. Please let me know if there are any other topics or themes!
Educational Cootie Catchers
If you’d like easy ways to boost your learning fun, cootie catchers are definitely the way to go! These activities are print-and-go ways to learn and practice facts, skills, and more.
- This solar system cootie catcher (+ fact cards) is a super cool way to help your kids learn all about the different planets and more.
- Help your kids learn about and practice growth mindset skills with this cootie catcher. This free printable pack includes both color and black-and-white styles.
- Enjoy excellent Earth Day Fun with a cootie catcher! Includes prompts to boost learning and more.
- This scientific method cootie catcher is a terrific way to help your students learn all about this essential concept.
- Want to easily jumpstart your back to homeschool fun? Try this free printable conversation starter cootie catcher!
- Enjoy a fun fitness game with this free printable cootie catcher and exercise prompt cards.
What is a Cootie Catcher?
Oh my stars! You have such a great question.
A cootie catcher is a DIY paper craft that you fold and enjoy for fun activities.
This type of craft is known by several names and can be used in a variety of ways for education, parties, and fun.
And here are 100+ fun cootie catcher ideas for creative inspiration!
How Do I Make a Cootie Catcher?
You can find out how to create your own cootie catcher with these instructions and free printable guide.
Of course, if you have any questions, you can always reach out to Amy at rockyourhomeschool@gmail.com 😊
Our Favorite Materials for Making Cootie Catchers
You really only need paper and a writing tool to make a cootie catcher.
But, when you start making these DIY paper crafts, you might discover that you want to take your creativity to the next level.
My boys and I like to have these supplies available when making our cootie catchers:
I hope these cootie catcher ideas and resources help you and your kids enjoy many fun activities together. Please let me know if you have any questions. And I’d love to hear your creative ways for using these paper crafts!